Optical sensor and image forming apparatus

ABSTRACT

A toner detection unit is configured by an LED that irradiates light toward an intermediate transfer belt, first and second light receiving elements that respectively receive specular reflection light and diffused reflection light of light irradiated toward the intermediate transfer belt from the LED, a circuit board, and a housing. The LED and the light receiving elements are mounted in a line on the circuit board. The housing is configured to guide, to the first light receiving element, the specular reflection light from a first region within an irradiation region on which light is irradiated from the LED on the intermediate transfer belt, and to guide, to the second light receiving element, the diffused reflection light from a second region which is different from the first region within the irradiation region.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an optical sensor for receiving, by aplurality of light receiving elements, a specular reflection light and adiffused reflection light of light emitted from a light emitting elementto detect a detection target, and an image forming apparatus comprisingthe optical sensor.

Description of the Related Art

In recent years, in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, atandem type which is a configuration in which a photosensitive member isarranged for each color to accelerate printing speed has becomemainstream. In a tandem type image forming apparatus, a colormisregistration amount is determined by forming a detection image (atoner image) which is a test pattern for detecting a colormisregistration amount on an intermediate transfer belt, for example,and then irradiating light onto the detection image and detecting lightreflected therefrom by an optical sensor. Also, a determination of adensity of a toner (a density of an image) using such an optical sensorhas been performed. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H10-221902, atechnique is disclosed in which a diffused reflection light and aspecular reflection light of light irradiated on a toner image arerespectively received by individual light receiving units (sensors), andbased on the received light amounts, the density of toner is detected.By virtue of such a technique, it is possible to improve precision ofdetection of toner by an optical sensor even if toner of a plurality ofcolors used in the image forming apparatus has reflectioncharacteristics that differ with respect to the light used by theoptical sensor.

In an optical sensor of the foregoing type, generally, in addition toproviding an aperture for limiting (narrowing) light that the lightemitting element emits, that kind of aperture is also provided for thelight receiving elements that respectively receive specular reflectionlight and diffused reflection light in order to separate the specularreflection light and the diffused reflection light. Surface-mounted typeoptical sensors in which an optical element is mounted directly on asurface of a circuit board are disclosed as such kind of optical sensorsin Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-208266 and in Japanese PatentLaid-Open No. 2013-191835.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-208266, an optical unit holder isattached to a circuit board on which a light emitting element and twolight receiving elements are directly mounted, and three polarizationfilters respectively corresponding to the light emitting element and thetwo light receiving elements are arranged on an outside surface of theoptical unit holder. However, when a plurality of polarization filtersare used in this way, it leads to an increase in apparatus cost, and areduction in productivity. Meanwhile, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.2013-191835, a housing having an opening (a light guiding path) thatfunctions as an aperture corresponding to each optical element (thelight emitting element and the two light receiving elements) isconfigured such that light shielding walls that configure the openingsare inserted in a slit hole arranged in a circuit board. This improves alight-shielding property in an optical sensor configured by mountingeach optical element on a surface of the circuit board.

However, in the optical sensor described in Japanese Patent Laid-OpenNo. 2013-191835, it is necessary to arrange the light emitting elementand the two light receiving elements at a certain distance from eachother in order to realize the housing that improves the light-shieldingproperty. Even if it is possible to improve the light-shielding propertyby virtue of this kind of optical sensor configuration, the size of theoptical sensor is larger in a direction in which the light emittingelement and the two light receiving elements are arranged. Accordingly,it would be desirable to realize further miniaturization in the opticalsensor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention was conceived in view of the above describedissues. The present invention provides a technique that enables theminiaturization of an optical sensor for detecting a detection target byreceiving, by different light receiving elements, a specular reflectionlight and a diffused reflection light of light emitted from a lightemitting element.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided anoptical sensor, comprising: a light emitting element that irradiates anirradiating light toward an irradiated member; a first light receivingelement for receiving a diffused reflection light into which theirradiating light is diffusely reflected by the irradiated member; asecond light receiving element for receiving a specular reflection lightinto which the irradiating light is specularly reflected by theirradiated member; and a housing for forming a first opening and asecond opening, wherein the first opening is an opening for determiningan irradiation region of the irradiated member onto which theirradiating light is irradiated, and is the opening through which theirradiating light passes and through which the diffused reflection lightto be received by the first light receiving element passes, and thesecond opening is an opening through which the specular reflection lightreceived to be by the second light receiving element passes.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is providedan optical sensor, comprising: a light emitting element that irradiatesan irradiating light toward an irradiated member; a first lightreceiving element for receiving a diffused reflection light into whichthe irradiating light is diffusely reflected in an irradiation region ofthe irradiated member; and a second light receiving element forreceiving a specular reflection light into which the irradiating lightis specularly reflected in the irradiation region of the irradiatedmember, wherein the first light receiving element receives the diffusedreflection light diffusely reflected in a first region within theirradiation region, and the second light receiving element receives thespecular reflection light specularly reflected in a second region withinthe irradiation region, at least a part of which does not include thefirst region in a main scanning direction.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an optical sensor, comprising: a light emitting element thatirradiates an irradiating light toward an irradiated member; a firstlight receiving element for receiving a diffused reflection light intowhich the irradiating light is diffusely reflected in an irradiationregion of the irradiated member; and a second light receiving elementfor receiving a specular reflection light into which the irradiatinglight is specularly reflected in the irradiation region of theirradiated member; and a housing for forming a first opening for guidinglight emitted from the light emitting element toward the irradiatedmember, a second opening for guiding, to the first light receivingelement, the diffused reflection light diffusely reflected in a firstregion within the irradiation region, and a third opening for guiding,to the second light receiving element, the specular reflection lightspecularly reflected in a second region within the irradiation region,at least a part of which does not include the first region in a mainscanning direction.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an optical sensor, comprising: a light emitting element thatirradiates an irradiating light toward an irradiated member; a firstlight receiving element for receiving a diffused reflection light intowhich the irradiating light is diffusely reflected by the irradiatedmember; a second light receiving element for receiving a specularreflection light into which the irradiating light is specularlyreflected by the irradiated member; a circuit board on which the firstlight receiving element and the second light receiving element arearranged beside each other, wherein the first light receiving elementand the second light receiving element are mounted on the circuit boardas a single integrated circuit.

By virtue of the present invention, it becomes possible to miniaturizean optical sensor for detecting a detection target by receiving, bydifferent light receiving elements, a specular reflection light and adiffused reflection light of light emitted from a light emittingelement.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to theattached drawings).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-section view for illustrating an example of a hardwareconfiguration of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of acontrol system of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an arrangement example of atoner detection unit in relation to an intermediate transfer belt.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an example configuration ofthe toner detection unit.

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are cross-sectional views illustrating an exampleconfiguration of the toner detection unit.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an example configuration ofthe toner detection unit which is a first comparative example.

FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B illustrates examples of a reflection directivitycharacteristic of the intermediate transfer belt.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of the tonerdetection unit which is a second comparative example.

FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B are cross-sectional views illustrating aconfiguration of the toner detection unit which is the secondcomparative example.

FIG. 10A to FIG. 10D illustrate examples of output from the two lightreceiving elements of the toner detection unit.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of test patterns formed on anintermediate transfer belt (second through fifth embodiments).

FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B illustrate examples of test patterns formed on anintermediate transfer belt (second embodiment).

FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B illustrates examples of test patterns formed on anintermediate transfer belt (third embodiment).

FIG. 14 illustrates an example of test patterns formed on anintermediate transfer belt (fourth embodiment).

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of an output waveform of light receivingelements and test patterns formed on an intermediate transfer belt(fifth embodiment).

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be notedthat the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope ofthe appended claims, and that not all the combinations of featuresdescribed in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solvingmeans of the present invention.

First Embodiment

<Overview of Image Forming Apparatus>

FIG. 1 is a cross-section view for illustrating an example of a hardwareconfiguration of an image forming apparatus 100 according to a firstembodiment. The image forming apparatus 100 in the present embodiment isa color laser printer for forming a multicolor image using developingmaterial (toner) of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K).The image forming apparatus 100 may also be any of the following: forexample a print apparatus, a printer, a copying machine, a multifunction peripheral (MFP), or a facsimile apparatus. Note that Y, M, C,or K on the end of reference numerals indicates that the color of thedeveloping material (toner) of the corresponding component is yellow,magenta, cyan, or black. In the following explanation, referencenumerals are used omitting the Y, M, C, or K on the end in a case whereit is not necessary to distinguish the color.

The image forming apparatus 100 is equipped with 4 process cartridges 7(process cartridges 7Y, 7M, 7C, and 7K) corresponding to image formingstations for forming images of Y, M, C, and K respectively. In FIG. 1,reference numerals are given only for components of the processcartridge 7Y corresponding to Y, but the same configuration is employedfor the four process cartridges 7Y, 7M, 7C, and 7K. However, the fourprocess cartridges 7Y, 7M, 7C, and 7K are different in that they formimages by respectively different colored (Y, M, C, and K) toner.

In a periphery of a photosensitive drum 1, a charging roller 2, anexposure unit 3, a developing unit 4, a primary transfer roller 26, anda cleaning blade 8 are arranged sequentially in a rotation direction. Inthe present embodiment, the photosensitive drum 1, the charging roller2, the developing unit 4 and the cleaning blade 8 are integrated intothe process cartridge 7 which can be attached/removed to/from the imageforming apparatus 100. The exposure unit 3 is arranged on a lower sidein a vertical direction of the process cartridge 7.

The process cartridge 7 is configured by the developing unit 4 and acleaner unit 5. The developing unit 4 includes a developing roller 24, adeveloping material coating roller 25, and a toner container. Toner ofthe corresponding color is contained in a toner container. Thedeveloping roller 24 is rotated by a drive motor (not shown), adeveloping bias voltage is applied from a high voltage power supply 44(FIG. 2), and development of an electrostatic latent image is performedusing toner contained in the toner container. The cleaner unit 5includes the photosensitive drum 1, the charging roller 2, the cleaningblade 8, and a waste toner container.

The photosensitive drum 1 is configured by an organic photo conductorlayer (OPC) coated on an outer surface of an aluminum cylinder. Thephotosensitive drum 1 is supported to be rotatable by flanges on bothends, and is rotated in a direction of an arrow illustrated in FIG. 1 bya driving force being transferred from a drive motor (not shown) to oneend. The charging roller 2 uniformly charges the surface of thephotosensitive drum 1 to a predetermined electric potential. Theexposure unit 3 irradiates a laser beam on the photosensitive drum 1 toexpose the photosensitive drum 1 based on image information (imagesignal), thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on thephotosensitive drum 1. The developing unit 4 forms a toner image on thephotosensitive drum 1 by causing toner to attach in an electrostaticlatent image on the photosensitive drum 1 and then developing theelectrostatic latent image.

An intermediate transfer belt 12 a, a driving roller 12 b, and a tensionroller 12 c configure an intermediate transfer unit 12. The intermediatetransfer belt 12 a is stretched between the driving roller 12 b and thetension roller 12 c, and moves (rotates) in a direction of an arrowillustrated in FIG. 1 by a rotation of the driving roller 12 b. In thepresent embodiment, the intermediate transfer belt 12 a is an example ofan image carrier which is rotated. At a position inside of theintermediate transfer belt 12 a and facing the photosensitive drum 1,the primary transfer roller 26 is arranged. The primary transfer roller26 transfers a toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 onto theintermediate transfer belt 12 a (an intermediate transfer member) by atransfer bias voltage applied from the high voltage power supply 44(FIG. 2). Toner images of the four colors respectively formed on thephotosensitive drums 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K are transferred (primarytransfer) on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a sequentially so as tooverlap each other. Thus, a multicolor toner image composed of Y, M, C,and K is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a. The multicolortoner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a is conveyed toa secondary transfer nip portion 15 between the intermediate transferbelt 12 a and a secondary transfer roller 16 in accordance with arotation of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a.

A paper feed unit 13 includes a paper feed roller 9, a conveyance rollerpair 10, a paper feed cassette 11, and a separation pad 23. A sheet Sset by a user is contained in the feed cassette 11. The sheet S may becalled recording paper, recording material, recording medium, paper,transfer material, transfer paper, or the like. The paper feed roller 9feeds the sheet S from the feed cassette 11 to a conveyance path. Notethat the sheet S contained in the feed cassette 11 is fed to theconveyance path by the separation pad 23 one sheet at a time. Theconveyance roller pair 10 conveys the sheet S fed on the conveyance pathtoward a registration roller pair 17. When the sheet S is conveyed tothe registration roller pair 17, in synchronization with a timing atwhich the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a reaches thesecondary transfer nip portion 15, the sheet S is conveyed to thesecondary transfer nip portion 15 by the registration roller pair 17.Thus, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a istransferred (secondary transfer) onto the sheet S in the secondarytransfer nip portion 15.

The sheet S onto which the toner image is transferred is conveyed to afixing unit 14. The fixing unit 14 includes a fixing belt 14 a, apressure roller 14 b, and a belt guide component 14 c, and the fixingbelt 14 a is guided to a belt guide component 14 c to which a heatgeneration device such as a heater is bonded. The fixing nip portion isformed between the fixing belt 14 a and the pressure roller 14 b. Thefixing unit 14 fixes the toner image on the sheet S by applying heat andpressure to the toner image formed on the sheet S in the fixing nipportion. After the fixing process by the fixing unit 14, the sheet S isdischarged to a sheet discharge tray 21 by a discharge roller pair 20.

Toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 after the primary transferof the toner image to the intermediate transfer belt 12 a is removedfrom the photosensitive drum 1 by the cleaning blade 8 and collectedinto a waste toner container in the cleaner unit 5. Also, tonerremaining on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a after the secondarytransfer of the toner image to the sheet S is removed from theintermediate transfer belt 12 a by a cleaner unit 22, and then collectedin the waste toner container (not shown graphically) via a waste tonerconveyance path.

A toner detection unit 31 (optical sensor) is arranged at a positionfacing the driving roller 12 b in the image forming apparatus 100. Thetoner detection unit 31 can optically detect toner on the intermediatetransfer belt 12 a as will be described later. The image formingapparatus 100 according to the present embodiment forms a test patternconstituted by a toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a, anddetects the test pattern formed on the intermediate transfer belt 12 aby the toner detection unit 31. Additionally, the image formingapparatus 100 performs a later described calibration based on the resultof the detection of the test pattern by the toner detection unit 31.

<Control Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus>

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for illustrating an example configuration of acontrol system of the image forming apparatus 100 according to thepresent embodiment. Note that in FIG. 2, only devices necessary for theexplanation of the present embodiment are illustrated. The image formingapparatus 100 is equipped with a control unit 41, which incorporates amicrocomputer, as an engine control unit. The image forming apparatus100 further comprises, as devices that are connected to enablecommunication with the control unit 41, an interface (I/F) board 42, alow voltage power supply 43, the high voltage power supply 44, variousdrive motors 45, various sensors 46, the exposure unit 3, the paper feedunit 13, the fixing unit 14, and the toner detection unit 31.

The I/F board 42 is capable of communicating with a host computer 40,which is external to the image forming apparatus 100, via a network suchas a LAN. The low voltage power supply 43 supplies voltage to thecontrol unit 41 for the control unit 41 to operate. The high voltagepower supply 44 supplies, in accordance with control by the control unit41, a bias voltage to the charging rollers 2, the developing rollers 24,the primary transfer rollers 26, and the secondary transfer roller 16 ata time of image formation execution. Among the various drive motors 45are included a drive motor for rotating the photosensitive drums 1, adrive motor for rotating the developing rollers 24, and the like. Amongthe various sensors 46 are included sensors other than the tonerdetection unit 31 such as a sensor for detecting a sheet S conveyedalong the conveyance path. The control unit 41, by controlling thevarious devices illustrated in FIG. 2 based on various signals such asan output signal of the toner detection unit 31, output signals of thevarious sensors 46, or the like, executes various control such assequence control for calibration of the image forming apparatus 100 andimage formation.

<Calibration of Image Forming Apparatus>

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a calibration of the image formingapparatus 100 (automatic correction control) will be described. FIG. 3is a perspective view illustrating an arrangement example of the tonerdetection unit 31 in relation to the intermediate transfer belt 12 a,and illustrates an example of a state of the intermediate transfer belt12 a at a time of calibration execution. Broadly divided, thecalibration of the image forming apparatus 100 includes two kinds ofcontrol: “color misregistration correction control” and “image densitycontrol”. These two kinds of control are both performed by forming atest pattern 30 on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a while the imageforming apparatus 100 is not performing image formation to a sheet S,and optically detecting the formed test pattern 30 by the tonerdetection unit 31.

If the test pattern 30 is detected by the toner detection unit 31 on aflat portion of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a, it is difficult toobtain satisfactory sensor output due to vibration and the like at thetime of belt movement. Accordingly, the toner detection unit 31 isarranged at a position facing the driving roller 12 b via theintermediate transfer belt 12 a as illustrated in FIG. 3 rather than ata position facing the flat portion of the intermediate transfer belt 12a. The test pattern 30 formed on the surface (outer surface) of theintermediate transfer belt 12 a is detected by the toner detection unit31 at a position facing the driving roller 12 b when it passes theposition of the driving roller 12 b. Also, so that it is possible todetect the test pattern 30 at least two positions in a directionorthogonal to the movement direction of the surface of the intermediatetransfer belt 12 a, at least two toner detection unit 31 are arranged insuch an orthogonal direction. Below, both the color misregistrationcorrection control and the image density control will be described morespecifically.

(Color Misregistration Correction Control)

The color misregistration correction control corresponds to colormisregistration correction control in which an amount of relativepositional misalignment (color misregistration) between the imageforming stations for toner images formed by the respective image formingstations is measured, and correction of the color misregistration isperformed based on the measurement results. The control unit 41 performsa color misregistration correction control by adjusting the timing atwhich each line is started to be written in addition to controlling theexposure units 3 so that a scanning speed and an amount of exposurelight of laser beam on the photosensitive drums 1 becomes apredetermined speed and a predetermined amount of light.

For example, if the exposure unit 3 is of a polygon mirror type, thecontrol unit 41, upon image formation, generates an image top signal bycounting write start reference pulses from the exposure unit 3, andoutputting the generated image top signal to the I/F board 42. The I/Fboard 42 outputs, in synchronization with the image top signal, exposuredata one line at a time (one surface of a polygon mirror) to theexposure unit 3 via the control unit 41. By causing the output timing ofthe image top signal from the control unit 41 to change by an amount oftime corresponding to a few dots for each image forming station, it ispossible to cause the timing at which each line is started to be writtento change by a few dots. With this, it is possible to adjust an imagewrite start position in the main scanning direction of thephotosensitive drum 1. Also, by causing the write timing to change inunits of lines, it is possible to cause the whole image to shift in aconveyance direction (a sub scanning direction) of the toner image onthe photosensitive drum 1. With this, it is possible to adjust an imagewrite start position in the sub scanning direction of the photosensitivedrum 1. Also, by controlling a difference in a rotational phase of thepolygon mirror of the exposure unit 3 between the image formingstations, it is possible to perform alignment of the images of therespective colors in the sub scanning direction at a resolution of oneline or less. Furthermore, it is possible to perform correction of amain-scanning magnification by causing the clock frequency to be used asthe reference of ON/OFF in the exposure data to change.

In this way, correction of a color misregistration between image formingstations in the color misregistration correction control can be realizedby adjusting a reference clock and an image formation timing. To realizethe color misregistration correction control, it is necessary to measurethe relative color misregistration amounts between the image formingstations as described above. In the color misregistration correctioncontrol, a test pattern for a color misregistration amount measurementof at least two columns on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a is formedfor each color, and positions (a time of passage of a position facingthe optical sensor) of the test pattern are detected by at least twooptical sensors (the toner detection unit 31). The control unit 41,based on the results of this detection, calculates a relative colormisregistration amount in the main scanning direction and the subscanning direction between the image forming stations, a magnificationfactor of the main scanning direction, and a relative tilt. Furthermore,the control unit 41 performs a color misregistration correction asdescribed above so that the color misregistration amount between theimage forming stations becomes small.

(Image Density Control)

Image density control is control for correcting an image formingcondition so that a density characteristic of an image formed by theimage forming apparatus 100 becomes a desired density characteristic. Inthe image forming apparatus 100, due to temperature and humidityconditions and the levels of usage of the image forming stations of therespective colors, a density characteristic of formed images (tonerimages) changes. Image density control is performed to correct thesechanges. Specifically, the test pattern 30 is formed on the intermediatetransfer belt 12 a, and based on the result of detection of the testpattern 30 by the toner detection unit 31, an image forming condition isadjusted so as to obtain a desired density characteristic. Note that thetest pattern 30 may be generated by the control unit 41, or may begenerated by an external apparatus (for example, the host computer 40).

The control unit 41 (CPU) calculates (detects a density of a tonerimage) a value corresponding to a density of the toner image which isthe test pattern 30 from a received light amount signal after A/D(analog/digital) conversion which is outputted from the toner detectionunit 31. Furthermore, the control unit 41, based on the result of thedetection of the density of the toner image, sets the image formingcondition to be used when performing image formation. The image formingcondition that is set is a charge bias voltage, a developing biasvoltage, an amount of exposure light (the laser power of the exposureunit 3), or the like, for example. By repeating such settings, it ispossible to optimize an image forming condition related to an imagedensity characteristic. Note that the control unit 41 stores in a memorywithin the control unit 41 the image forming condition that has beenset, so as to be able to use it at a time of image formation and at atime of the next image density control.

By performing such image density control, it is possible to adjust themaximum density of each color to a desired value, and it is possible toprevent the occurrence of an image defect called “fogging” in whichunwanted toner adheres to a white background portion of an image. Also,by performing the image density control, it is possible to keep fixedthe color balance of the respective colors, and to prevent an imagedefect and a fixing defect due to excessive application of toner.

<Configuration of Toner Detection Unit>

Next, a configuration of the toner detection unit 31 which is fordetecting the test pattern 30 is described. FIG. 4, and FIGS. 5A and 5Bare respectively a perspective view and an outline cross-sectional viewillustrating an example configuration of the toner detection unit 31.The toner detection unit 31, as illustrated in FIG. 4, has aconfiguration in which a housing 37 is fixed to a circuit board 36 byprojecting portions of the housing 37 being inserted into holes arrangedin the circuit board 36. FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate states in which thehousing 37 is fixed in relation to the circuit board 36.

The toner detection unit 31 comprises an LED 33 (a light emittingelement) and two light receiving elements 34 and 35 as optical elements.The LED 33 irradiates light towards the intermediate transfer belt 12 awhich is an irradiated member. That is, the LED 33 irradiates lighttowards the intermediate transfer belt 12 a after the toner, which isthe detection target (measurement target object), has been attached. Thelight receiving elements 34 and 35 are used to respectively receive thespecular reflection light and the diffused reflection light of the lightthat the LED 33 irradiated toward the intermediate transfer belt 12 a.In the toner detection unit 31, the housing 37 is configured torespectively guide, to the light receiving elements 34 and 35, thespecular reflection light and the diffused reflection light of the lightthat the LED 33 irradiated to the intermediate transfer belt 12 a.

The LED 33 and the two light receiving elements 34 and 35 are directlymounted on the surface (mounting surface) of the same circuit board 36,and are mounted in a line on the circuit board 36. The light receivingelements 34 and 35, which respectively receive the specular reflectionlight and the diffused reflection light of light that the LED 33irradiates toward the intermediate transfer belt 12 a, are arrangedbeside each other on the circuit board 36. In the present embodiment,the light receiving element 34 is arranged at a position more separatedfrom the LED 33 than the light receiving element 35, and the lightreceiving element 35 is arranged at a position closer to the LED 33 thanthe light receiving element 34. Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B,a light shielding wall 39 to prevent light emitted from the LED 33 frombeing received directly by the light receiving element 35 is providedbetween the LED 33 and the light receiving element 35.

The light receiving elements 34 and 35 of the present embodiment isconfigured by an integrated circuit (IC) in which phototransistors(semiconductors) having a sensitivity to wavelengths of light emittedfrom the LED 33 are integrated and COB-mounted on a substrate. In thisway, it is possible to configure the light receiving elements 34 and 35being integrated in an integrated circuit by arranging the lightreceiving elements 34 and 35 on the same side (one side of the LED 33)with respect to the LED 33 in an arrangement direction of the lightreceiving elements 34 and 35 and the LED 33. With this, it is possibleto miniaturize the toner detection unit 31 in the arrangement direction.While specifics are described later, in a toner detection unit 131 ofFIG. 6, the light receiving element 34 and the light receiving element35 are arranged on different sides (both sides of the LED 33) withrespect to the LED 33 in the arrangement direction. Because in the tonerdetection unit 31 in the present embodiment of FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, thelight receiving elements 34 and 35 are integrated in an integratedcircuit in contrast to the toner detection unit 131, it can be seen thatminiaturization is achieved in the arrangement direction. Thephototransistors mounted on the substrate are covered by a transmissiveresin material. The substrate on which the light receiving elements 34and 35 are mounted is arranged on the circuit board 36. The LED 33(light emitting element) and the light receiving elements 34 and 35 ofthe present embodiment use infrared light. However, a light emittingelement and light receiving elements that use light of other wavelengthsmay be used in the toner detection unit 31 if the light is of awavelength to which the light receiving elements are sensitive dependingon the combination of the light emitting element and the light receivingelements. Also, in place of phototransistors, photodiodes may be used asthe light receiving elements 34 and 35.

As illustrated in FIG. 5A, a light guiding path 60 is provided in thehousing 37 of the toner detection unit 31 to guide light emitted fromthe LED 33 toward the intermediate transfer belt 12 a. Light guidingpaths 61 and 62 are further provided in the housing 37 to guidereflected light of the light emitted from the LED 33 to the lightreceiving elements 34 and 35. The light guiding paths 60 and 61 areconfigured by openings arranged in the housing 37, and are separated bya light shielding wall 38. Also, the light guiding path 62 is configuredby the light shielding wall 38 and the light shielding wall 39, and isseparated from the light guiding path 61 by the light shielding wall 38.Note that, within the housing 37, the light guiding path 62 overlaps aportion of the light guiding path 60 which guides light emitted from theLED 33 towards the intermediate transfer belt 12 a, which is theirradiated member, and this contributes to the miniaturization of thetoner detection unit 31.

The light shielding wall 38 is arranged so that the diffused reflectionlight from a light-receivable region 55 (which is described later) isnot received by the light receiving element 35 (so that the diffusedreflection light is not incident on the light receiving element 35through the light guiding path 62). The light shielding wall 38 isformed integrally in the housing 37, is arranged above, in a verticaldirection in relation to the mounting surface of the circuit board 36,the position of the light receiving element 35 on the mounting surface(that is, immediately above the light receiving element 35), and isformed close to the opening of the housing 37.

(Irradiation Region 54 of Light from the LED 33)

Here, the irradiation region 54 of the light from the LED 33 asillustrated in FIG. 5A corresponds to a region in which light from theLED 33 is irradiated on the outer surface of the intermediate transferbelt 12 a (on the irradiated member). The irradiation region 54 isdefined by a straight line connecting a left corner 60L of the lightguiding path 60 and one edge of the LED 33, and a straight lineconnecting a right corner 60R of the light guiding path 60 and the otheredge of the LED 33.

(Light-Receivable Regions 55 and 56 for the Light Receiving Elements 34and 35)

The light-receivable region 55 (second region) for the light receivingelement 34 illustrated in FIG. 5A corresponds to a region (range),within the irradiation region 54, in which light that the lightreceiving element 34 can receive is irradiated by the LED 33, and is aregion that is a portion of the irradiation region 54. Thelight-receivable region 55 is defined by a straight line connecting aleft corner 61L of the light guiding path 61 and one edge of the lightreceiving element 34 and a straight line connecting a right corner 61Rof the light guiding path 61 and the other edge of the light receivingelement 34.

The light-receivable region 56 (first region) of the light receivingelement 35 illustrated in FIG. 5A corresponds to a region (range),within the irradiation region 54, in which light that the lightreceiving element 35 can receive is irradiated by the LED 33, and is aregion that is a portion of the irradiation region 54. Thelight-receivable region 56 is defined by a straight line connecting aleft corner 62L of the light guiding path 62 and one edge of the lightreceiving element 35 and a straight line connecting a right corner 62Rof the light guiding path 62 and the other edge of the light receivingelement 35.

In the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, the housing 37 isconfigured to guide the specular reflection light from thelight-receivable region 55 within the irradiation region 54 of the LED33 to the light receiving element 34, and to guide the diffusedreflection light from the light-receivable region 56 within theirradiation region 54 to the light receiving element 35. Also, thehousing 37 is configured so that the light-receivable region 55 and thelight-receivable region 56 are mutually different regions. Note that thelight-receivable region 55 and the light-receivable region 56 are notregions that overlap each other in the present embodiment, but they maypartially (for example, edges of each region) overlap.

In the toner detection unit 31, the specular reflection light that thelight receiving element 34 receives among the light emitted from the LED33, as illustrated in FIG. 5B, is light that travels in a directionalong an optical axis line 50 in the light guiding path 60, and that isirradiated on the outer surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a.The specular reflection light from the outer surface of the intermediatetransfer belt 12 a travels in a direction along an optical axis line 51approximately, is guided within the light guiding path 61 of the housing37, reaches the light receiving element 34 and is received. Morespecifically, the light receiving element 34 receives, among the lightirradiated from the LED 33, light (specular reflection light) that isincident at an incident angle θ in a region 57 within thelight-receivable region 55 and that is reflected at a reflection angleθ, as well as diffused reflection light of the light that is incident onthe light-receivable region 55.

Meanwhile, if the test pattern 30, which is a toner image, is present inthe irradiation region 54 on the outer surface of the intermediatetransfer belt 12 a, light emitted from the LED 33 is specularlyreflected by the outer surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 aand is diffusely reflected by the test pattern 30. A portion of suchreflected light is reflected in a direction along the optical axis line51, reaches the light receiving element 34 and is received, and anotherportion is reflected in a direction along an optical axis line 53,passes through the light guiding path 62, reaches the light receivingelement 35 and is received.

In the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4 and FIGS. 5A and 5B,by mounting the two light receiving elements 34 and 35 as an IC on thecircuit board 36, miniaturization of the toner detection unit 31 overwhat was conventional is realized. Here, in FIG. 6, a cross-sectionalview illustrating a configuration of the toner detection unit 131 isillustrated as a comparative example (first comparative example) incontrast to the present embodiment. In the toner detection unit 131illustrated in FIG. 6, two light receiving elements 34 and 35 thatrespectively receive the specular reflection light and the diffusedreflection light of light emitted from the LED 33 (light emittingelement) are mounted on a circuit board 136 as independent circuitelements. Also, in conformity with this kind of mounting, separateopenings corresponding to the LED 33 and the two light receivingelements 34 and 35 are provided on a housing 137. In the toner detectionunit 31 of the present embodiment, it is possible to miniaturize a sizeof a direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 6) in which the LED 33 andthe two light receiving elements 34 and 35 are arranged over the tonerdetection unit 131 illustrated as the comparative example.

Also, when using the toner detection unit 31 of the present embodiment,it is possible to detect toner images (the test pattern 30)simultaneously in two different regions (light-receivable regions 55 and56) on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a. For example, the tonerdetection unit 31 is arranged so that the two light receiving elements34 and 35 are arranged in a direction orthogonal to a movement directionof the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a. In such a case,the light-receivable regions 55 and 56 for the light receiving elements34 and 35 are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the movementdirection of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a. As aresult, when the toner detection unit 31 is used, it is possible todetect the toner images (the test pattern 30) which respectively passesthrough the light-receivable region 55 and the light-receivable region56 at a timing when the rotational phases of the intermediate transferbelt 12 a are the same phase. In second through fifth embodiments,examples of detection of the test pattern 30 that use such a feature ofthe toner detection unit 31, and control based on the result of suchdetection are illustrated.

Note that it is possible to employ, in the toner detection unit 31 ofthe present embodiment, light receiving elements for which tonerdetection precision differs between a low density side and a highdensity side. For example, configuration may be such that while thelight receiving element 34 which receives specular reflection light hasa high detection precision on the low density side, the light receivingelement 35 which receives diffused reflection light has a high detectionprecision on the high density side. Even in such a case, it is possibleto enhance toner detection precision by using both the light receptionresult of the specular reflection light by the light receiving element34 and the light reception result of the diffused reflection light bythe light receiving element 35 in the toner detection unit 31 of thepresent embodiment.

<Toner Detection Unit Characteristics>

Below, characteristics of toner detection by the toner detection unit 31of the present embodiment are described. Firstly, the received lightamount and the optical path length of the light receiving elements 34and 35, a reflection characteristic of the intermediate transfer belt 12a, and a comparative example, which are necessary for the explanation oftoner detection characteristics, will be described.

(Received Light Amounts and Optical Path Length of Light ReceivingElements)

Generally, the received light amounts, which are intensities (lightamounts) of light that the light receiving elements 34 and 35 receive,are proportional to the light receiving area and inversely-proportionalto the square of the length of the light path that light passes through(optical path length).

Accordingly, in the present embodiment, the received light amounts ofthe light receiving elements 34 and 35 are proportional to the areas ofthe light-receivable regions 55 and 56 for the respective lightreceiving elements, and inversely-proportional to the squares of theoptical path lengths.

As illustrated in FIG. 5B, the optical path length of the light that isemitted from the LED 33 and received by the light receiving element 34can be expressed as the sum of the distance LS1 from the center of alight-emitting portion of the LED 33 to the center of thelight-receivable region 55 and the distance LS2 from the center of thelight-receivable region 55 to the center of the light-receiving surfaceof the light receiving element 34. On the other hand, the optical pathlength of the light that is emitted from the LED 33 and received by thelight receiving element 35 can be expressed as the sum of the distanceLD1 from the center of a light-emitting portion of the LED 33 to thecenter of the light-receivable region 56 and the distance LD2 from thecenter of the light-receivable region 56 to the center of thelight-receiving surface of the light receiving element 35. That is,

-   -   the optical path length of the light received by the light        receiving element 34=LS1+LS2, and    -   the optical path length of the light received by the light        receiving element 35=LD1+LD2.

(Reflection Characteristic of Intermediate Transfer Belt)

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate examples of a reflection directivitycharacteristic of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a. FIG. 7Aillustrates a measurement result of a reflection directivitycharacteristic, and FIG. 7B illustrates a concept of a method ofmeasuring the reflection directivity characteristic. In thismeasurement, as illustrated in FIG. 7B, a vertical direction in relationto the outer surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a is assumedto be 0°, and light is irradiated from the LED 33 (light emittingelement) which is arranged as a point light source at a position rotated−15° from the vertical direction, to the intermediate transfer belt 12a. Furthermore, output values of the light receiving element 34 aremeasured in cases where the light receiving element 34 is caused torotationally move from a position of −90° to a position of 90° whilekeeping the distance to the light receiving element 34 from anirradiation point (point on the irradiated surface) 32 where lightemitted from the LED 33 is irradiated, to an approximate distance.

FIG. 7A illustrates a reflection directivity characteristic obtained bysuch a measurement. As illustrated in FIG. 7A, while a specularreflection component is dominant in the reflection characteristic of theintermediate transfer belt 12 a, there is a diffused reflectioncomponent of an angle width 72 that is centered in the specularreflection direction. That is, the intermediate transfer belt 12 a has adiffused reflection characteristic in which there is a diffusedreflection component having a high intensity in the specular reflectiondirection.

Comparative Example

FIG. 8, and FIGS. 9A 9B are respectively a perspective view and anoutline cross-sectional views illustrating a configuration of a tonerdetection unit 231, which is illustrated as a comparative example(second comparative example) in contrast to the present embodiment. Inthe toner detection unit 231 illustrated in FIG. 8 and FIGS. 9A 9B, theLED 33 (light emitting element) and the two light receiving elements 34and 35 are directly mounted to the surface of the same circuit board236, and are arranged in a line on the circuit board 236. The lightreceiving elements 34 and 35 of the toner detection unit 231, similarlyto the light receiving elements 34 and 35 of the toner detection unit 31of the present embodiment, are configured to respectively receivespecular reflection light and diffused reflection light of light thatthe LED 33 irradiates toward the intermediate transfer belt 12 a.

However, the configuration of the toner detection unit 231 of thecomparative example differs to the configuration of the toner detectionunit 31 of the present embodiment in that the arrangement of the lightreceiving elements 34 and 35 is opposite to the arrangement illustratedin FIG. 4 and FIGS. 5A and 5B. That is, in the toner detection unit 231,the light receiving element 34 is arranged at a position closer to theLED 33 than the light receiving element 35, and the light receivingelement 35 is arranged at a position more separated from the LED 33 thanthe light receiving element 34. Note that an opening depending on thearrangement of the LED 33 and the light receiving elements 34 and 35 isformed in a housing 237 of the toner detection unit 231 so that thelight receiving elements 34 and 35 can respectively receive the specularreflection light and the diffused reflection light of light emitted fromthe LED 33.

(Toner Detection Characteristic)

Next, a toner detection characteristic of the toner detection unit 31 ofthe present embodiment is described, where a toner detectioncharacteristic of the toner detection unit 231 illustrated in FIG. 8 andFIGS. 9A and 9B is made to be a comparison target. FIGS. 10A to 10Dillustrate examples of output of the light receiving elements 34 and 35in cases where toner images having different densities are formed inorder on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a as the test pattern 30, andthe formed test pattern 30 is detected by the toner detection unit 31.FIGS. 10A and 10B respectively illustrate output of the light receivingelements 34 and 35 of the toner detection unit 31 of the presentembodiment. FIGS. 10C and 10D respectively illustrate output of thelight receiving elements 34 and 35 of the toner detection unit 231 ofthe comparative example obtained in cases when similar measurement tothat for the toner detection unit 31 of the present embodiment isperformed.

Here, the toner detection unit 31 is positioned within the image formingapparatus 100 so that the light receiving elements 34 and 35 arearranged in a direction orthogonal to the movement direction of thesurface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a which the toner detectionunit 31 faces. In such a case, the light-receivable regions 55 and 56for the light receiving elements 34 and 35 are arranged in the directionorthogonal to the movement direction of the surface of the intermediatetransfer belt 12 a. The light receiving elements 34 and 35 receive lightreflected from the light-receivable regions 55 and 56, and generate andoutput detection signals of values corresponding to the received lightamounts. Note that the movement direction of the surface of theintermediate transfer belt 12 a, and the direction orthogonal to themovement direction respectively correspond to the sub-scanning directionand the main scanning direction in scanning of the photosensitive drum 1by a laser beam. In FIGS. 10A to 10D, measurement results of output ofthe light receiving elements 34 and 35 that are obtained by forming thetest pattern 30 in a range that is equal to or wider than theirradiation region 54 in the main scanning direction are illustrated.That is, configuration is such that the same test pattern is detected bythe light receiving elements 34 and 35 when the test pattern 30 passesthrough the light-receivable regions 55 and 56.

FIGS. 10A to 10D illustrate changes in output of the light receivingelements 34 and 35 in cases where the test pattern 30 is formed on theintermediate transfer belt 12 a such that the density of the tonergradually increases 20% at a time from 0% to 100% and is detected by thetoner detection unit 31. In each of the graphs of FIGS. 10A to 10D, thedensity [%] of toner (that is the detection target) that passes throughthe light-receivable regions 55 and 56 for the light receiving elements34 and 35 is recorded. The output values 101 and 102 corresponding tothe density 0% are equivalent to output values in cases where a tonerimage is not formed on the light-receivable regions 55 and 56 and thelight receiving elements 34 and 35 respectively receive reflected lightfrom the surface (outer surface) of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a.

Firstly, FIG. 10A illustrates output of the light receiving element 34that receives specular reflection light of light emitted from the LED 33in the toner detection unit 31 of the present embodiment. The outputvalue of the light receiving element 34 becomes a maximum value (outputvalue 101) in a case where light reflected from the surface of theintermediate transfer belt 12 a on which the test pattern 30 is notformed is received. This is because, as explained using FIGS. 7A and 7B,while the intermediate transfer belt 12 a has somewhat of the diffusedreflection characteristic as an optical characteristic, the specularreflection characteristic is dominant. Also, the output value of thelight receiving element 34 becomes lower as the density of the tonerincreases if reflected light is received from the test pattern 30 (thetoner image). This is because the more the density of the tonerincreases, the less the light amount of the specular reflection lightfrom the toner becomes due to the diffused reflection characteristic ofthe toner.

It can be seen that while the output of the light receiving element 34illustrated in FIG. 10A shows a similar tendency as compared to theoutput of the light receiving element 34 of the comparative exampleillustrated FIG. 10C, the values overall are slightly smaller than inthe comparative example. Such a difference in output values depends onthe optical path lengths (LS1+LS2) of the light that the light receivingelement 34 receives. Specifically, when the configuration of the tonerdetection unit 31 illustrated in FIG. 5B and the configuration of thecomparative example illustrated in FIG. 9B are compared, in theconfiguration of the present embodiment the distance between the LED 33and the light receiving element 34 is greater than in the configurationof the comparative example, and the incident angle (reflection angle) θis larger than in the configuration of the comparative example.Accordingly, in the configuration of the present embodiment, the opticalpath length (LS1+LS2) is longer than in the configuration of thecomparative example, resulting in a difference in output of the lightreceiving element 34.

However, as illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10C, such a difference inoutput of the light receiving element 34 is small. This is because thespecular reflection light that the light receiving element 34 receiveshas a comparatively high directivity, and so the difference in thereceived light amount of the specular reflection light that arises dueto the difference in the optical path length is small. The tonerdetection unit 31 of the present embodiment, as described above, has acharacteristic in which the output of the light receiving element 34becomes slightly smaller compared to the toner detection unit 231 of thecomparative example, but has a sufficient toner detectioncharacteristic. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 10A, there exists asufficient difference between the output value 101 (the maximum value)in the case where the light receiving element 34 receives lightreflected from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a andthe output values in the cases where the light receiving element 34receives light reflected from toner images of respective densities.Accordingly, if using the toner detection unit 31 of the presentembodiment, it is possible to determine the existence or absence oftoner (in the light-receivable region 55) on the intermediate transferbelt 12 a and the density of the toner at a sufficient precision bycomparison processing between the output value of the light receivingelement 34 and a threshold value.

Next, FIG. 10B illustrates output of the light receiving element 35 thatreceives diffused reflection light of light emitted from the LED 33 inthe toner detection unit 31 of the present embodiment. The output of thelight receiving element 35 is shown to change in an opposite tendency tothat of the output of the light receiving element 34 (FIG. 10A) withrespect to the change in toner density. Specifically, the output valueof the light receiving element 35 becomes a minimum value (output value102) in a case where light reflected from the surface of theintermediate transfer belt 12 a on which the test pattern 30 is notformed is received. This is because the diffused reflectioncharacteristic of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a is weak. Also, theoutput value of the light receiving element 35 becomes higher as thedensity of the toner increases if reflected light is received from thetest pattern 30 (the toner image). This is because the more the densityof the toner increases, the greater the light amount of the diffusedreflection light from the toner becomes due to the diffused reflectioncharacteristic of the toner.

When the output of the light receiving element 35 illustrated in FIG.10B is compared to the output of the light receiving element 35 of thecomparative example illustrated in FIG. 10D, it can be seen that whilethe maximum value is larger than the comparative example, the minimumvalue (the output value 102) is smaller, that is, the difference 103between the minimum value and the maximum value is larger than in thecomparative example. Also, in the present embodiment, compared to thecomparative example, there exists a larger difference between the outputvalue 102 (minimum value) in the case where the light receiving element35 receives light reflected from the surface of the intermediatetransfer belt 12 a and the output values in the cases where the lightreceiving element 35 receives light reflected from toner images ofrespective densities. Accordingly, if using the toner detection unit 31of the present embodiment, it is possible to determine the existence orabsence of toner (in the light-receivable region 56) on the intermediatetransfer belt 12 a and the density of the toner at higher precision thanin the comparative example by comparison processing between the outputvalue of the light receiving element 35 and a threshold value.

Next, a reason that a difference in output of the light receivingelement 35 that receives diffused reflection light of light emitted fromthe LED 33 occurs (that is, a difference in the toner detectioncharacteristic arises) between the toner detection unit 31 of thepresent embodiment and the toner detection unit 231 of the comparativeexample is described.

Firstly, a difference between the output value 102 illustrated in FIG.10B and the output value 102 illustrated in FIG. 10D in a case where thetest pattern 30 is not formed on the irradiation region 54 of the LED 33(the light-receivable region 56) is described. In the configuration ofthe comparative example illustrated in FIG. 9B, the light receivingelement 35 is configured to receive both the diffused reflection lightthat travels in the specular reflection direction approximately alongthe optical axis line 51, and the diffused reflection light that travelsin a direction along the optical axis line 53. For the diffusedreflection light that travels along the optical axis line 53, theoptical path length is comparatively long (LD1+LD2), and it is receivedby the light receiving element 35 at a low intensity. Meanwhile, for thediffused reflection light which travels in the specular reflectiondirection, not only is the optical path length comparatively shorter(LS1+LS2), it is received by the light receiving element 35 at acomparatively high intensity due to the foregoing diffused reflectioncharacteristic of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a. Accordingly, asillustrated in FIG. 10D, the output value 102 of the light receivingelement 35 in the toner detection unit 231 of the comparative exampleincreases by an amount corresponding to the received light amount oflight reflected from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a.This means that, in the output of the light receiving element 35, theamplitude component effective for the detection of toner becomessmaller.

In contrast to this, in the configuration of the present embodimentillustrated in FIG. 5B, the light receiving element 35 is configured toreceive the diffused reflection light that travels in the directionalong the optical axis line 53, and not receive the diffused reflectionlight that travels in the specular reflection direction approximatelyalong the optical axis line 51. Specifically, the diffused reflectioncomponent of the light that travels along the optical axis line 50 fromthe LED 33 and is reflected at the surface of the intermediate transferbelt 12 a in the direction along the optical axis line 51 is blocked bythe light shielding wall 38, and is not incident on the light receivingelement 35. Also, the comparatively high intensity diffused reflectioncomponent of reflected light of the light that has traveled along theoptical axis line 52 from the LED 33 travels in a direction of anoptical axis line 53′ from the intermediate transfer belt 12 a, and thisdiffused reflection component is not incident on the light receivingelement 35. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 10B, in the tonerdetection unit 31 of the present embodiment, the output value 102 in thecase where the light receiving element 35 receives light reflected fromthe surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a is suppressed morethan in the comparative example (FIG. 10D). This means that, in theoutput of the light receiving element 35, the amplitude componenteffective for the detection of toner becomes larger.

Next, a difference between the output value illustrated in FIG. 10B andthe output value illustrated in FIG. 10D in a case where the testpattern 30 is formed on the irradiation region 54 of the LED 33 (thelight-receivable region 56) is described. Here, when focusing on theoutput value of the light receiving element 35 in the case wherereflected light from the toner image (solid image) of a density of 100%is received, the output value illustrated in FIG. 10B is larger than theoutput value (comparative example) illustrated in FIG. 10D. This isbecause while the toner detection unit 231 of the comparative examplehas a configuration in which the distance between the LED 33 and thelight receiving element 35 is relatively long, the toner detection unit31 of the present embodiment has a configuration in which the distancebetween the LED 33 and the light receiving element 35 is relativelyshort. That is, since for the toner detection unit 31 of the presentembodiment, the optical path length (LD1+LD2) of light that the lightreceiving element 35 receives is shorter than for the toner detectionunit 231 of the comparative example, the diffused reflection light canbe received at a higher intensity.

In this way, the housing 37 mounted to the circuit board 36 isconfigured in the toner detection unit 31 of the present embodiment suchthat the light-receivable region 55 for the light receiving element 34and the light-receivable region 56 for the light receiving element 35are regions that do not overlap each other. This configuration enables arelatively large received light amount in the case where the lightreceiving element 35 receives diffused reflection light from the tonerimage, while relatively reducing the received light amount in the casewhere the light receiving element 35 receives diffused reflection lightfrom the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a. In the tonerdetection unit 31 of the present embodiment, the light receiving element35 which receives the diffused reflection light of the light that theLED 33 (light emitting element) emits is further arranged at a positionthat is closer to the LED 33 than the light receiving element 34 thatreceives the specular reflection light of the light that the LED 33emits. This configuration further enables a relatively larger receivedlight amount in the case where the light receiving element 35 receivesdiffused reflection light from a toner image. Note that the tonerdetection unit 31 is configured such that the common LED 33 (lightemitting element) is able to sufficiently irradiate light (that is, sothat both the light-receivable regions 55 and 56 are included in theirradiation region 54) towards both the light-receivable regions 55 and56.

By virtue of the configuration of the toner detection unit 31 of thepresent embodiment, the output value 102 of the light receiving element35 in a case where light reflected from the surface of the intermediatetransfer belt 12 a is received becomes smaller than the output value ofthe toner detection unit 231 of the comparative example. Also, theoutput value of the light receiving element 35 in the case where lightreflected from a toner image of the maximum density (100%) is receivedbecomes larger than the output value of the toner detection unit 231 ofthe comparative example. That is, by virtue of the configuration of thetoner detection unit 31 of the present embodiment, it is possible toincrease the difference (for example the difference 103) between theoutput value of the light receiving element 35 in cases of receivinglight reflected from toner images of each density and the output value102 (minimum value).

Accordingly, in the toner detection unit 31 of the present embodiment,it is possible to determine, at a higher precision than in thecomparative example, the existence or absence of toner in thelight-receivable region 56 and the toner density, based on the lightreception result by the light receiving element 35 of diffusedreflection light of the light emitted from the LED 33. That is, withrespect to the capability of toner detection (determination of theexistence or absence of toner and density) based on the light receptionresult of diffused reflection light of the light emitted from the LED33, the toner detection unit 31 of the present embodiment has a superiorcapability than the toner detection unit 231 of the comparative example.

<Other Characteristics of Toner Detection Unit 31>

The toner detection unit 31 of the present embodiment, as illustrated inFIGS. 5A and 5B, is configured so that the light-receivable region 56for the light receiving element 35 that receives diffused reflectionlight is wider than the light-receivable region 55 for the lightreceiving element 34 that receives the specular reflection light. Asdescribed above using FIGS. 10A to 10D, the specular reflection light ofthe light emitted from the LED 33 is strong light having a comparativelyhigh directivity. In contrast to this, the diffused reflection light ofthe light emitted from the LED 33 is scattered in various directions andis weak light that has a low directivity. Accordingly, in the presentembodiment, the light-receivable region 56 for receiving the diffusedreflection light is made to be wider than the light-receivable region 55for receiving the specular reflection light so that the received lightamount of the diffused reflection light by the light receiving element35 becomes greater. That is, as illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the sizeof the light-receivable region 56 is larger than that of thelight-receivable region 55 in the direction in which the light receivingelement 34 and the light receiving element 35 are arranged.

Also, in the toner detection unit 31 of the present embodiment, lightemitted from the LED 33 (light emitting element) is emitted from thehousing 37 through the light guiding path 60 which is arranged in thehousing 37. The diffused reflection light of the light emitted from theLED 33 is incident on the light receiving element 35 through the lightguiding path 62. That is, the toner detection unit 31 is configured sothat an outlet from the housing 37 for light emitted from the LED 33,and an inlet into the housing 37 for diffused reflection light that thelight receiving element 35 receives are common. That is, in the housing37, a common opening for narrowing light emitted from the LED 33 andlight to be incident on the light receiving elements 34 and 35 isformed. With this, it is possible to enable the distance between the LED33 and the light receiving element 35 to be made shorter compared to acase where the outlet of light emitted from the LED 33 and the inlet ofdiffused reflection light differ. As a result, it is possible to shortenthe optical path length (LD1+LD2) of light that the light receivingelement 35 receives, and to also shorten the optical path length(LS1+LS2) of light that the light receiving element 34 receives.Accordingly, it is possible to increase the amount of light that each ofthe light receiving elements 34 and 35 receives and to make the outputvalues from each light receiving element which indicate the lightreception result be larger values.

Note that in the present embodiment, the two light receiving elements 34and 35 are integrated to miniaturize the toner detection unit 31, butthey may be arranged as independent circuit elements in proximity atpositions similar to in the present embodiment. In such cases, it isalso possible to realize a toner detection unit 31 capable of achievingadvantages similar to the present embodiment.

As described above, the toner detection unit 31 of the presentembodiment includes the LED 33 that irradiates light towards theintermediate transfer belt 12 a, and the light receiving elements 34 and35 that respectively receives the specular reflection light and thediffused reflection light of the light emitted from the LED 33. The LED33 and the light receiving elements 34 and 35 are mounted in a line onthe circuit board 36. A light guiding path that guides the light emittedfrom the LED 33 towards the intermediate transfer belt 12 a and a lightguiding path that guides specular reflection light and diffusedreflection light respectively to the light receiving elements 34 and 35are provided for the circuit board 36. Specifically, the housing 37 isconfigured to guide, to the light receiving element 34, the specularreflection light from the light-receivable region 55 within theirradiation region 54 of the LED 33 and to guide, to the light receivingelement 35, the diffused reflection light from the light-receivableregion 56 which is different to the light-receivable region 55 withinthe irradiation region 54. According to the present embodiment, it ispossible to realize a superior (over the toner detection unit 231 of thecomparative example) capability regarding a capability for tonerdetection based on the light reception result of the diffused reflectionlight while realizing miniaturization of the size, in the arrangementdirection of the LED 33 and the light receiving elements 34 and 35, ofthe toner detection unit 31.

Second Embodiment

In the second through fifth embodiments, as examples of usage of thetoner detection unit 31 explained in the first embodiment, examples inwhich color misregistration correction control using test patterns thatare advantageous for detection by the toner detection unit 31 isperformed are described.

Generally, in color misregistration, there is color misregistration dueto static causes (static color misregistration) and colormisregistration due to dynamic causes (dynamic color misregistration),for which the color misregistration amount fluctuates periodically.Static causes are an error in a write start position of an image or thelike. Dynamic causes are velocity fluctuations of a conveyance belt (aprint material conveyance belt, an intermediate transfer belt, or thelike) due to unevenness of driving of a driving roller for theconveyance belt, unevenness of rotation of a photosensitive drum, or thelike. If a test pattern formed on the intermediate transfer belt isdetected by an optical sensor to measure a (static) colormisregistration amount, an error will arise in that measurement resultdue to a dynamic color misregistration component of a degree dependenton the detection timing of the test pattern. (for example, see JapanesePatent Laid-Open No. 2002-14507.) Such a dynamic color misregistrationcomponent becomes larger the more the timings (phases of fluctuation fora dynamic color misregistration component) at which patch images of areference color and a target color for color misregistration amountmeasurement are detected is displaced.

To reduce the foregoing measurement error, as recited in, for example,Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-14507, it is necessary to be able tocancel the dynamic color misregistration component by forming aplurality of patterns corresponding to a plurality of phases of thedynamic color misregistration component in a movement direction of theconveyer belt. However, if forming a plurality of patterns in themovement direction (the sub-scanning direction) of the conveyance belt,there is a problem in that the total length of the plurality of patternsin the sub-scanning direction becomes longer and the time required forthe color misregistration correction control (calibration) also becomeslonger.

In contrast to this, if the toner detection unit 31 illustrated in FIG.4 and FIGS. 5A and 5B is used, as described above, it is possible todetect toner images simultaneously in two different regions (thelight-receivable regions 55 and 56) on the intermediate transfer belt 12a. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, using this characteristic ofthe toner detection unit 31, a test pattern in which patch images of thereference color and the target color are arranged at the same positionin the sub-scanning direction (that is, at approximately the same phase)is formed. This enables these patch images to be detected by the lightreceiving elements 34 and 35. If it is possible to detect the patchimages of the reference color and the target color at a timing for whichthe phases of the fluctuation for the dynamic color misregistrationcomponent are of the same phase in this way, it becomes possible tomeasure a (static) color misregistration amount without experiencing theinfluence of a dynamic color misregistration component. In such a case,it is advantageous in that it is unnecessary to form a plurality of testpatterns corresponding to a plurality of phases as described above inorder to cancel the dynamic color misregistration component. Below, thepresent embodiment is described focusing on points of difference withthe first embodiment.

<Example of a Test Pattern>

In the present embodiment, a case in which the reflectance of theintermediate transfer belt 12 a in the light source wavelengths of thetoner detection unit 31 (optical sensor) is higher than the toner imageof any color for specular reflection light, and lower than the tonerimage of any color for diffused reflection light is described. In such acase, it is possible to detect both the specular reflection light andthe diffused reflection light from the intermediate transfer belt 12 awell by the toner detection unit 31.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of the test pattern 30 in a distance Ld1corresponding to one rotation period of the photosensitive drum 1. InFIG. 11, a region 155 on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a correspondsto a region in which a toner image passes through the light-receivableregion 55 for the light receiving element 34 during conveyance by theintermediate transfer belt 12 a, in the case where the toner image isformed on that region. Also, a region 156 on the intermediate transferbelt 12 a corresponds to a region in which a toner image passes throughthe light-receivable region 56 for the light receiving element 35 duringconveyance by the intermediate transfer belt 12 a, in the case where thetoner image is formed on that region. Below, the region 155 will bereferred to as “region for specular reflection light reception”, and theregion 156 as “region for diffused reflection light reception”.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, independent test patterns (toner images) areformed in parallel in the region for specular reflection light reception155 and the region for diffused reflection light reception 156,respectively. Also, a test pattern 30 v for detecting a colormisregistration amount in the sub-scanning direction and a test pattern30 m for detecting a color misregistration amount in the main scanningdirection are arranged alternatingly along the movement direction of thesurface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a (along the conveyancedirection of the toner images). The test patterns 30 v and 30 m arerespectively configured by a patch image group including a plurality ofpatch images which are a plurality of toner images (toner patches). Inthis way, the test pattern 30 of the present embodiment includes thetest pattern 30 v and the test pattern 30 m. Note that the movementdirection of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a, and thedirection orthogonal to the movement direction correspond to thesub-scanning direction and the main scanning direction in scanning ofthe photosensitive drum 1 by a laser beam.

The test pattern 30 v includes reference color patch images Pstd1 a,Pstd2 a, Pstd3 a, and Pstd4 a used as references for colormisregistration amount detection that are arranged in the sub-scanningdirection on the region for specular reflection light reception 155 onthe intermediate transfer belt 12 a. The test pattern 30 v furtherincludes target color patch images Ptgt1 a, Ptgt2 a, Ptgt3 a, and Ptgt4a that serve as targets of color misregistration amount detection wherea reference color is used as a reference, and that are arranged in thesub-scanning direction on the region for diffused reflection lightreception 156 on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a. The target colorpatch images Ptgt1 a, Ptgt2 a, Ptgt3 a, and Ptgt4 a are arranged to beof approximately the same phase in the sub-scanning direction asreference color patch images Pstd1 a, Pstd2 a, Pstd3 a, and Pstd4 a,respectively. Note that the target color patch images Ptgt1 a, Ptgt2 a,Ptgt3 a, and Ptgt4 a are respectively formed using different colortoner.

The test pattern 30 m includes the reference color patch images Pstd1 b,Pstd2 b, Pstd3 b, and Pstd4 b, and the reference color patches Pstd1 c,Pstd2 c, Pstd3 c, and Pstd4 c which are arranged in the sub scanningdirection of the region for specular reflection light reception 155 onthe intermediate transfer belt 12 a. The test pattern 30 m furtherincludes the target color patch images Ptgt1 b, Ptgt2 b, Ptgt3 b, andPtgt4 b, and the target color patch images Ptgt1 c, Ptgt2 c, Ptgt3 c,and Ptgt4 c which are arranged in the sub-scanning direction of theregion for diffused reflection light reception 156 on the intermediatetransfer belt 12 a. The target color patch images Ptgt1 b, Ptgt2 b,Ptgt3 b, and Ptgt4 b are arranged to be of approximately the same phasein the sub-scanning direction as reference color patch images Pstd1 b,Pstd2 b, Pstd3 b, and Pstd4 b, respectively. Also, the target colorpatch images Ptgt1 c, Ptgt2 c, Ptgt3 c, and Ptgt4 c are arranged to beof approximately the same phase in the sub scanning direction asreference color patch images Pstd1 c, Pstd2 c, Pstd3 c, and Pstd4 c,respectively. Note that, the target color patch images Ptgt1 b, Ptgt2 b,Ptgt3 b, and Ptgt4 b are formed using respectively different colortoner, and the target color patch images Ptgt1 c, Ptgt2 c, Ptgt3 c, andPtgt4 c are formed using respectively different color toner.

In the example of FIG. 11, the test pattern 30 v is formed, in thesub-scanning direction, repeatedly in intervals of a distance Ld2 of aninverse phase corresponding to half a rotation period of thephotosensitive drum 1. With this, by repeating the pattern, it ispossible to cancel a detection error component of a colormisregistration amount due to unevenness of rotation of thephotosensitive drum 1. Note that a test pattern corresponding to ⅓ therotation period, ¼ the rotation period or the like of the photosensitivedrum 1 may additionally be formed depending on the region in whichformation of a test pattern on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a ispossible. With this, it becomes possible to cancel a detection errorcomponent of a color misregistration amount due to unevenness ofrotation of the photosensitive drum 1 at a higher precision.

<Color Misregistration Amount Detection in Sub-Scanning Direction>

Next, with reference to FIG. 12A, a method for detecting (measuring) thecolor misregistration amount of a target color with respect to areference color in the sub scanning direction using the test pattern 30v illustrated in FIG. 11 is described. Here, detection of a colormisregistration amount of a target color with respect to a referencecolor in a case where the reference color is assumed to be black (K) andthe target color is assumed to be yellow (Y) is described as an example.

FIG. 12A magnifies the patch image Pstd1 a of K which is the referencecolor, and the patch image Ptgt1 a of Y which is the target color, as aportion of the test pattern 30 v illustrated in FIG. 11. As describedabove, the patch image Pstd1 a of the reference color (K) and the patchimage Ptgt1 a of the target color (Y) respectively have sizes thatconform to the size of the light-receivable regions 55 and 56. Asdescribed in the first embodiment, because the light-receivable region56 is wider than the light-receivable region 55, the patch image Ptgt1 aof the target color (Y) is of a larger size in the main scanningdirection and the sub-scanning direction than the patch image Pstd1 a ofthe reference color (K).

The patch image Pstd1 a formed on the region for specular reflectionlight reception 155 passes through the light-receivable region 55 forthe light receiving element 34 included in the toner detection unit 31while being conveyed in conjunction with movement of the surface of theintermediate transfer belt 12 a. The control unit 41 (CPU) detects theleading end and the trailing end in the sub scanning direction of thepatch image Pstd1 a, based on the light reception result, by the lightreceiving element 34, of the specular reflection light from theintermediate transfer belt 12 a and the patch image Pstd1 a. The controlunit 41 detects the detection timing Tstd1 ap of the leading end of thepatch image Pstd1 a and the detection timing Tstd1 as of the trailingend of the patch image Pstd1 a, respectively as the leading end andtrailing end positions of the patch image.

Meanwhile, the patch image Ptgt1 a formed on the region for diffusedreflection light reception 156 passes through the light-receivableregion 56 for the light receiving element 35 included in the tonerdetection unit 31 while being conveyed in conjunction with movement ofthe surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a. The control unit 41detects the leading end and the trailing end in the sub-scanningdirection of the patch image Ptgt1 a, based on the light receptionresult, by the light receiving element 35, of the diffused reflectionlight from the intermediate transfer belt 12 a and the patch image Ptgt1a. The control unit 41 detects the detection timing Ttgt1 ap of theleading end of the patch image Ptgt1 a and the detection timing Ttgt1 asof the trailing end of the patch image Ptgt1 a, respectively as theleading end and trailing end positions of the patch image.

The control unit 41 calculates, from the data obtained in this way, acenter position Tstd1 a between the leading end Tstd1 ap and a trailingend Tstd1 as of the patch image Pstd1 a of the reference color (K) and acenter position Ttgt1 a between the leading end Ttgt1 ap and thetrailing end Ttgt1 as of the patch image Ptgt1 a of the target color(Y). Furthermore, the control unit 41 calculates a difference Dtgt1 abetween the center position Tstd1 a of the patch image Pstd1 a of thereference color (K) and the center position Ttgt1 a for the patch imagePtgt1 a of the target color (Y) (=Ttgt1 a−Tstd1 a), as the colormisregistration amount of the target color (Y) with respect to thereference color (K) in the sub-scanning direction. The control unit 41can perform the foregoing color misregistration correction control (forexample, color misregistration correction in the sub-scanning directionby adjusting the write start timing) by using this calculation result ofthe color misregistration amount.

<Color Misregistration Amount Detection in Main Scanning Direction>

Next, with reference to FIG. 12B, a method for detecting (measuring) thecolor misregistration amount of a target color with respect to areference color in the main scanning direction using the test pattern 30m illustrated in FIG. 11 is described. Here, similarly to FIG. 12A,detection of a color misregistration amount of a target color withrespect to a reference color in a case where the reference color isassumed to be black (K) and the target color is assumed to be yellow (Y)is described as an example.

FIG. 12B magnifies the patch image Pstd1 b of K which is the referencecolor, and the patch image Ptgt1 b of Y which is the target color, as aportion of the test pattern 30 m illustrated in FIG. 11. As illustratedin FIG. 12B, for each patch image, there is an angle of inclination 45°with respect to the movement direction (the sub scanning direction) ofthe surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a in order to enabledetection of the color misregistration amount in the main scanningdirection. Also, as described above, the patch image Pstd1 b and thepatch image Ptgt1 b are arranged so as to be in approximately the samephase in the sub-scanning direction.

The patch image Pstd1 b formed on the region for specular reflectionlight reception 155 passes through the light-receivable region 55 forthe light receiving element 34 while being conveyed in conjunction withmovement of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a. Thecontrol unit 41, based on the light reception result of the specularreflection light by the light receiving element 34, detects the leadingend and the trailing end in the sub scanning direction of the patchimage Pstd1 b. The control unit 41 detects the detection timing Tstd1 bpof the leading end of the patch image Pstd1 b and the detection timingTstd1 bs of the trailing end, respectively as the leading end andtrailing end positions of the patch image.

Meanwhile, the patch image Ptgt1 b formed on the region for diffusedreflection light reception 156 passes through the light-receivableregion 56 of the light receiving element 35 while being conveyed inconjunction with movement of the surface of the intermediate transferbelt 12 a. The control unit 41, based on the light reception result ofthe diffused reflection light by the light receiving element 35, detectsthe leading end and the trailing end in the sub scanning direction ofthe patch image Ptgt1 b. The control unit 41 detects the detectiontiming Ttgt1 bp of the leading end of the patch image Ptgt1 b and thedetection timing Ttgt1 bs of the trailing end, respectively as theleading end and trailing end positions of the patch image.

The control unit 41 calculates, from the data obtained in this way, acenter position Tstd1 b between the leading end Tstd1 bp and a trailingend Tstd1 bs of the patch image Pstd1 b of the reference color (K) and acenter position Ttgt1 b between the leading end Ttgt1 bp and thetrailing end Ttgt1 bs of the patch image Ptgt1 b of the target color(Y). Furthermore, the control unit 41 calculates a difference Dtgt1 bbetween the center position Tstd1 b of the patch image Pstd1 b of thereference color (K) and the center position Ttgt1 b for the patch imagePtgt1 b of the target color (Y) (=Ttgt1 b−Tstd1 b). Here, the angle ofinclination of each patch image included in the test pattern 30 m is45°. Accordingly, it is possible to handle the calculated Dtgt1 b as acolor misregistration amount in the main scanning direction of thetarget color (Y) with respect to the reference color (K) under acondition that there is no color misregistration in the sub-scanningdirection. The control unit 41 can perform the foregoing colormisregistration correction control (for example, color misregistrationcorrection in the main scanning direction by adjusting the write starttiming or the like) by using this color misregistration amountcalculation result.

As described above, in the present embodiment, using the fact that thelight-receivable regions 55 and 56 of the toner detection unit 31 do notoverlap, the test pattern 30 in which patch images of the referencecolor and the target color are arranged at approximately the same phasein the sub-scanning direction are formed on the intermediate transferbelt 12 a. Furthermore, the color misregistration amount is detected(measured) by using the light receiving elements 34 and 35 to detect thetest pattern 30.

By using the toner detection unit 31 described in the first embodimentin this way, it is possible to detect the color misregistration amountusing the patch images of the reference color and the target colorformed at approximately the same phase in the sub-scanning direction.With this, it is possible to detect a color misregistration amount whileremoving a dynamic color misregistration component (other than dynamiccolor misregistration component due to an error in the distance betweenthe photosensitive drums) of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a. Thatis, because canceling processing for such as at ¼ the rotation period ofthe intermediate transfer belt 12 a, for example, becomes unnecessary,there ceases to be a need to form a plurality of test patternscorresponding to a plurality of phases of a dynamic colormisregistration component in order to cancel the dynamic colormisregistration component. Accordingly, it is possible to improve theprecision of detection of the color misregistration amount correspondingto a unit length of the test pattern, and possible to shorten theoverall length of the test pattern 30 in the sub-scanning direction.With this, it is possible to reduce the toner consumption amount forforming the test pattern 30, and it is possible to shorten the timerequired for detection of the color misregistration amount and the timerequired for the color misregistration correction control.

Note that in the present embodiment, detection of the colormisregistration amount in the sub-scanning direction and the mainscanning direction is described assuming that the reference color isblack (K) and the target color is yellow (Y), but it is possible todetect the color misregistration amount similarly for other colorcombinations. Also, the test patterns 30 v and 30 m (FIG. 11) used inthe present embodiment are merely examples, and test patterns havingdifferent characteristics such as a pattern shape, a pattern interval, acolor combination or the like may be employed. Additionally, the orderof the patch images for the target color in the sub-scanning directionmay be different to the order illustrated in FIG. 11. In the presentembodiment, an example in which a reference color patch image is formedon the region for specular reflection light reception 155 on the lightreceiving element 34 side and a target color patch image is formed inthe region for diffused reflection light reception 156 on the lightreceiving element 35 side is illustrated. However, a reference colorpatch image may be formed on the region for specular reflection lightreception 155 on the light receiving element 34 side and a target colorpatch image may be formed in the region for diffused reflection lightreception 156 on the light receiving element 35 side.

Third Embodiment

In the third embodiment, an example is described in which relativepositional misalignment in the sub-scanning direction and the mainscanning direction of the light receiving elements 34 and 35 mounted onthe same circuit board 36 in the toner detection unit 31 described inthe foregoing embodiment is corrected. Below, the present embodiment isdescribed focusing on points of difference with the first and secondembodiments.

In the second embodiment, by making the reference color and the targetcolor different colors, a color misregistration amount between thereference color and the target color is detected. In contrast to this,it is possible to detect a relative positional misalignment amount ofthe light receiving elements 34 and 35 on the toner detection unit 31(on the circuit board 36) when processing similar to the detection ofthe color misregistration amount in the second embodiment is performedwhere the reference color and the target color are made to be the samecolor. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the reference colorand the target color are the same color, black (K) as an example, andthe relative positional misalignment amount of the light receivingelement 35 with the position of the light receiving element 34 as areference is detected.

<Positional Misalignment Amount Detection in Sub-Scanning Direction>

FIG. 13A magnifies the patch image Pstd4 a which is the reference color,and the patch image Ptgt4 a which is the target color and is the samecolor as the reference color, as a portion of the test pattern 30 villustrated in FIG. 11. As described in the second embodiment, thereference color patch image Pstd4 a is formed on the region for specularreflection light reception 155 and the target color patch image Ptgt4 ais formed on the region for diffused reflection light reception 156.

The control unit 41, based on the light reception result of the specularreflection light by the light receiving element 34, detects the leadingend Tstd4 ap and the trailing end Tstd4 as in the sub scanning directionof the patch image Pstd4 a of the reference color formed in the regionfor specular reflection light reception 155. Also, the control unit 41,based on the light reception result of the diffused reflection light bythe light receiving element 35, detects the leading end Ttgt4 ap and thetrailing end Ttgt4 as in the sub scanning direction of the patch imagePtgt4 a of the target color formed in the region for diffused reflectionlight reception 156. The control unit 41 calculates, from data obtainedin this way, the center position Tstd4 a of the patch image Pstd4 a ofthe reference color (K) and the center position Ttgt4 a of the patchimage Ptgt4 a of the target color (K). Furthermore, the control unit 41calculates the difference Dsns4 a of these center positions (Dsns4a=Ttgt4 a−Tstd4 a) as the positional misregistration amount in thesub-scanning direction between the light receiving element 34 and thelight receiving element 35.

The control unit 41 performs color misregistration correction controlusing the calculated positional misregistration amount Dsns4 a as acorrection value for the detected value Dtgt1 a of the colormisregistration amount in the second embodiment. That is, the controlunit 41 performs the above described color misregistration correctioncontrol (for example, color misregistration correction of a sub-scanningdirection by an adjustment of write start timing or the like) using avalue (=Dtgt1 a+Dsns4 a) obtained by correcting the detected value Dtgt1a of the color misregistration amount by the positional misalignmentamount Dsns4 a. With this, it is possible to improve correctionprecision in the color misregistration correction control.

<Positional Misalignment Amount Detection in Main Scanning Direction>

FIG. 13B magnifies the patch image Pstd4 b which is the reference color,and the patch image Ptgt4 b which is the target color and is the samecolor as the reference color, as a portion of the test pattern 30 millustrated in FIG. 11. As described in the second embodiment, thereference color patch image Pstd4 b is formed on the region for specularreflection light reception 155 and the target color patch image Ptgt4 bis formed on the region for diffused reflection light reception 156. Inorder to enable detection of the positional misalignment amount in themain scanning direction of the light receiving elements 34 and 35,similarly to in the second embodiment, each patch image has an angle ofinclination of 45° with respect to the movement direction (thesub-scanning direction) of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt12 a.

The control unit 41, based on the light reception result of the specularreflection light by the light receiving element 34, detects the leadingend Tstd4 bp and the trailing end Tstd4 bs in the sub-scanning directionof the patch image Pstd4 b of the reference color formed in the regionfor specular reflection light reception 155. Also, the control unit 41,based on the light reception result of the diffused reflection light bythe light receiving element 35, detects the leading end Ttgt4 bp and thetrailing end Ttgt4 bs in the sub-scanning direction of the patch imagePtgt4 b of the target color formed in the region for diffused reflectionlight reception 156. The control unit 41 calculates, from data obtainedin this way, the center position Tstd4 b of the patch image Pstd4 b ofthe reference color (K) and the center position Ttgt4 b of the patchimage Ptgt4 b of the target color (K). Furthermore, the control unit 41calculates the difference Dsns4 b of these center positions (Dsns4b=Ttgt4 b−Tstd4 b) as the positional misalignment amount in the mainscanning direction between the light receiving element 34 and the lightreceiving element 35.

The control unit 41 performs color misregistration correction controlusing the calculated positional misalignment amount Dsns4 b as acorrection value for the detected value Dtgt1 b of the colormisregistration amount in the second embodiment. That is, the controlunit 41 performs the above described color misregistration correctioncontrol (for example, color misregistration correction of the mainscanning direction by an adjustment of write start timing or the like)using a value (=Dtgt1 b+Dsns4 b) obtained by correcting the detectedvalue Dtgt1 b of the color misregistration amount by the positionalmisregistration amount Dsns4 b. With this, it is possible to improvecorrection precision in the color misregistration correction control.

As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to detectthe relative positional misalignment amount between the light receivingelement 34 and the light receiving element 35 mounted on the samecircuit board 36 by performing processing similar to the detection ofthe color misregistration amount in the second embodiment where thereference color and the target color are made to be the same color.Furthermore, by applying the detected positional misalignment amount tothe color misregistration correction control in the second embodiment,it is possible to improve the precision of the color misregistrationcorrection. Note that in the present embodiment, detection of thepositional misalignment amount of the light receiving elements 34 and 35is described assuming the reference color and the target color to beblack (K), but it is possible to similarly detect a positionalmisalignment amount using other colors as well.

Fourth Embodiment

In the fourth embodiment, detection of the color misregistration amountin the case where the reflectance of the intermediate transfer belt 12 ain the light source wavelength of the toner detection unit (opticalsensor) differs from the reflectance in the second and third embodimentsis described. Specifically, a case is described in which the reflectanceof the intermediate transfer belt 12 a is higher than that of tonerimages of any color for the specular reflection light, and lower thanthat of toner images of colors (Y, M, and C) other than black (K), butapproximately equivalent to that of a toner image of K for diffusedreflection light. In such a case, for toner images of colors (Y, M, andC) other than black (K), it is possible to detect at good precision bythe toner detection unit 31 using either of the specular reflectionlight and the diffused reflection light. However, for a toner image ofK, the received light amount by the light receiving element 35 becomesequivalent for the diffused reflection light from the region in which atoner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a and for adiffused reflection light from a region on which a toner image is notformed, and thus detection of the toner image becomes difficult.

Accordingly, the present embodiment is characterized in that, if a black(K) toner image is formed on the region for diffused reflection lightreception 156 on the intermediate transfer belt 12 a, a toner image forwhich the reflectance differs (is high) of a color other than K isformed as a base image of a K toner image. That is, by forming a K tonerimage overlappingly on a toner image of a color having a highreflectance other than K, detection precision of the boundaries of the Ktoner image can be enhanced. Note that the present embodiment is nowdescribed focusing on points of difference with the first through thirdembodiments.

In the present embodiment, detection of a color misregistration amountin the sub-scanning direction of a target color with respect to areference color in a case where the reference color is assumed to bemagenta (M) and the target color is assumed to be black (K) is describedas an example. FIG. 14 magnifies the patch image Pstd2 a which is thereference color (M), and the patch image Ptgt2 a which is the targetcolor (K), as a portion of the test pattern 30 v illustrated in FIG. 11.The patch image Pstd2 a of the reference color is formed on the regionfor specular reflection light reception 155 and the patch image Ptgt2 aof the target color is formed on the region for diffused reflectionlight reception 156. In the present embodiment, a patch image Ppri2 a ofyellow (Y) whose size is larger than the patch image of the target coloris formed on the region for diffused reflection light reception 156 as abase image of the patch image Ptgt2 a of the target color (K). That is,the patch image Ptgt2 a of K is formed overlappingly on the patch imagePpri2 a of Y.

The control unit 41, similarly to the second and third embodiments,detects the leading end Tstd2 ap and the trailing end Tstd2 as in thesub-scanning direction of the patch image Pstd2 a of the reference color(M) formed on the region for specular reflection light reception 155,based on a light reception result of specular reflection light by thelight receiving element 34. Also, the control unit 41, based on thelight reception result of the diffused reflection light by the lightreceiving element 35, detects the leading end Ttgt2 ap and the trailingend Ttgt2 as in the sub-scanning direction of the patch image Ptgt2 a ofthe target color formed in the region for diffused reflection lightreception 156. At that time, the control unit 41 detects the leading endand the trailing end of the patch image Ptgt2 a from the boundariesbetween the patch image Ptgt2 a of the target color and the patch imagePpri2 a of Y formed as the base image.

The control unit 41 calculates, from data obtained in this way, thecenter position Tstd2 a of the patch image Pstd2 a of the referencecolor (M) and the center position Ttgt2 a of the patch image Ptgt2 a ofthe target color (K). Furthermore, the control unit 41 calculates adifference Dtgt2 a (=Ttgt2 a−Tstd2 a) between the center position Tstd2a of the patch image Pstd2 a of the reference color (M) and the centerposition Ttgt2 a for the patch image Ptgt2 a of the target color (K) asthe color misregistration amount in the sub-scanning direction of thetarget color (K) with respect to the reference color (M). The controlunit 41, by using this kind of color misregistration amount calculationresult, can perform color misregistration correction control (forexample, color misregistration correction in the sub-scanning directionby adjustment of the write start timing or the like) similarly to in thesecond and third embodiments.

As described above, in the present embodiment, for diffused reflectionlight, a base image is formed so that a difference in the reflectancebetween the base image and the patch image of the target color becomeslarger than a difference in the reflectance between the surface of theintermediate transfer belt 12 a and the patch image of the target color.By virtue of the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent thedetection precision of the color misregistration amount fromdeteriorating in a case where a patch image of a color for which theratio of the diffused reflection component included in the reflectionlight is low, such as black (K), is formed on the region for diffusedreflection light reception 156 as the test pattern 30.

Note that in the present embodiment, detection of color misregistrationamount in the sub-scanning direction is described assuming that thereference color is magenta (M), the target color is black (K) and thecolor of the patch image formed as the base image is yellow (Y), but itis possible to similarly detect a color misregistration amount for othercombinations of colors. It is possible to realize detection of a colormisregistration amount in the main scanning direction by similarprocessing to the second embodiment by forming a patch image thatbecomes a base image similarly to the test pattern 30 v illustrated inFIG. 14. Also, the reflectance of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a inthe present embodiment is merely an example. For example, a similaradvantage to that of the present embodiment can be expected when a tonerimage with a high reflectance is made to be the base image in a casewhere a toner image of a reflectance that is approximately equivalent tothe reflectance of the intermediate transfer belt 12 a is formed on theregion for specular reflection light reception 155 or the region fordiffused reflection light reception 156 on the intermediate transferbelt 12 a.

Fifth Embodiment

In the fifth embodiment, a variation of the fourth embodiment isdescribed. Generally, optical elements such as those used as the lightreceiving elements 34 and 35 of the toner detection unit 31 have thecharacteristic that the less the received light amount is the lowertheir response speed is. In the present embodiment, a method thatrealizes color misregistration amount detection and colormisregistration correction control with better precision using the tonerdetection unit 31 taking into account such a difference of responsespeed of the optical elements depending on the received light amount isdescribed. Note that the present embodiment is now described focusing onpoints of difference with the first through fourth embodiments.

FIG. 15 illustrates a state in which, similarly to in FIG. 14, a patchimage Pstd4 a of a reference color (M) is formed on the region forspecular reflection light reception 155, and a patch image Ppri4 a of Yis formed in the region for diffused reflection light reception 156 asan under layer, and a patch image Ptgt4 a of the target color (K) isformed overlappingly thereupon. FIG. 15 also illustrates a change inoutput of the light receiving elements 34 and 35 in the case where thelight receiving elements 34 and 35 are used to detect the patch imagesformed on the region for specular reflection light reception 155 and theregion for diffused reflection light reception 156.

In FIG. 15, the waveform M is an output waveform of the light receivingelement 34, and the waveform N is an output waveform of the lightreceiving element 35. The output waveforms M and N, as illustrated inFIG. 15, are waveforms of shapes that are blunted in accordance with thereceived light amounts of the light receiving elements 34 and 35. Thecontrol unit 41 calculates, based on the output waveforms M and N whichhave such shapes and are outputted from the light receiving elements 34and 35, center positions between two points at which the outputwaveforms M and N intersect a threshold voltage A, as center positionsin the sub-scanning direction of the patch images. Accordingly, an errorΔTstd4 a arises between the center position Tstd4 a in the sub-scanningdirection of the patch image Pstd4 a formed in the region for specularreflection light reception 155 and the center position Tstd4 a′calculated based on the output waveform M of the light receiving element34. Similarly, an error ΔTtgt4 a arises between the center positionTtgt4 a in the sub-scanning direction of the patch image Ptgt4 a formedin the region for diffused reflection light reception 156 and the centerposition Ttgt4 a′ calculated based on the output waveform N of the lightreceiving element 35.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, the degree of bluntness of the outputwaveforms of the light receiving elements 34 and 35 becomes larger asthe received light amounts of the light receiving elements 34 and 35 aresmaller, and as a result, the foregoing error becomes larger. Inparticular, the diffused reflection light that the light receivingelement 35 receives is scattered in various directions and is weak lightthat has a low directivity. Accordingly, there is a tendency for alarger error to arise in a light reception result for diffusedreflection light by the light receiving element 35 than in a lightreception result for specular reflection light by the light receivingelement 34.

In the present embodiment, color misregistration amounts in thesub-scanning direction for each color are detected so that the foregoingerror is reduced. Specifically, the foregoing error is calculated byobtaining in advance output waveforms of the light receiving elements 34and 35 as illustrated in FIG. 15 for each color, separately from thecalibration in the image forming apparatus 100. Additionally, thecalculated error is stored in advance as a correction value in a storagedevice such as a non-volatile memory (not shown) that the image formingapparatus 100 includes. That is, a correction value for correcting anerror that arises in a detected value for a color misregistration amountdue to the change in the response speed in accordance with the receivedlight amount of the light receiving elements 34 and 35 is stored in thestorage device. The control unit 41 uses this correction value tocorrect (offsets) color misregistration amounts obtained by the methoddescribed in the second through fourth embodiments. With this, it ispossible to reduce a detection error of a color misregistration amountthat arises due to the response speed of the light receiving elements 34and 35.

Note that, in the present embodiment, detection of a colormisregistration amount in the sub-scanning direction is described, butit is possible to implement similarly for detection of a colormisregistration amount in the main scanning direction. Also, in thepresent embodiment, detection of a color misregistration amount in thesub-scanning direction is described assuming that the reference color ismagenta (M), the target color is black (K) and the color of the patchimage formed as the under layer is yellow (Y), but it is possible tosimilarly detect a color misregistration amount for other combinationsof colors.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/297,381, filed Oct. 19, 2016, which claims the benefit of JapanesePatent Application No. 2015-218797, filed Nov. 6, 2015, both of whichare hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

What is claimed is:
 1. An optical sensor, comprising: a light emittingelement that irradiates irradiating light toward an irradiated member; afirst light receiving element for receiving diffused reflection lightinto which the irradiating light is diffusely reflected by theirradiated member; a second light receiving element for receivingspecular reflection light into which the irradiating light is specularlyreflected by the irradiated member; and a housing for forming a firstopening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is a commonopening through which the irradiating light passes and through which thediffused reflection light to be received by the first light receivingelement passes, and the second opening is an opening through which thespecular reflection light to be received by the second light receivingelement passes.
 2. The optical sensor according to claim 1, wherein thehousing forms, in a region between the first opening and the first lightreceiving element, a third opening through which the diffused reflectionlight that has passed through the first opening passes prior to beingreceived by the first light receiving element.
 3. The optical sensoraccording to claim 1, wherein the housing covers the light emittingelement, the first light receiving element, and the second lightreceiving element.
 4. The optical sensor according to claim 1, wherein aportion of a first light path through which the irradiating light passesand a portion of a second light path through which the diffusedreflection light to be received by the first light receiving elementpasses overlap in a region up to where the irradiating light passesthrough the first opening.
 5. The optical sensor according to claim 1,wherein the first light receiving element receives the diffusedreflection light diffusely reflected by a first region within anirradiation region of the irradiated member onto which the irradiatinglight is irradiated, and the second light receiving element receives thespecular reflection light specularly reflected by a second region withinthe irradiation region, at least a portion of which is different in amain scanning direction from the first region.
 6. The optical sensoraccording to claim 5, wherein in a direction in which the first lightreceiving element and the second light receiving element are arranged, aregion onto which the irradiating light is irradiated is larger for thefirst region than for the second region.
 7. The optical sensor accordingto claim 5, wherein the first region and the second region are portionsof the irradiation region, and do not overlap each other.
 8. The opticalsensor according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the first lightreceiving element and the light emitting element is shorter than adistance between the second light receiving element and the lightemitting element.
 9. The optical sensor according to claim 1, whereinthe first light receiving element and the second light receiving elementare arranged beside each other on a circuit board.
 10. The opticalsensor according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a light shieldingwall for shielding light so that light other than the diffusedreflection light is not received by the first light receiving element.11. The optical sensor according to claim 10, wherein the lightshielding wall is arranged above, in a vertical direction in relation toa mounting surface of a circuit board on which the first light receivingelement and the second light receiving element are mounted, a positionof the first light receiving element on the mounting surface.
 12. Theoptical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a lightshielding wall, arranged between the light emitting element and thefirst light receiving element, for shielding light so that light emittedfrom the light emitting element is not directly received by the firstlight receiving element and the second light receiving element.
 13. Theoptical sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first light receivingelement and the second light receiving element are mounted on a circuitboard as a single integrated circuit.
 14. An image forming apparatus,comprising: an image carrier that is rotated; the optical sensoraccording to claim 1, wherein the optical sensor is arranged at aposition facing a surface of the image carrier and irradiates lighttoward the image carrier from the light emitting element; and a controlunit configured to, based on a signal outputted from the first lightreceiving element or the second light receiving element when an imageformed on the image carrier passes through a first region or a secondregion within an irradiation region, detect a position or a density ofthe image, and execute a color misregistration correction control basedon the detected position of the image or execute an image densitycontrol based on the detected density of the image.
 15. An image formingapparatus, comprising: an image carrier that is rotated; the opticalsensor according to claim 1, wherein the optical sensor is arranged at aposition facing a surface of the image carrier such that a first regionand a second region are arranged in a direction orthogonal to a movementdirection of the surface of the image carrier, and emits light towardthe image carrier from the light emitting element; an image formationunit configured to form, on the surface of the image carrier, a firstpatch image that passes through the first region and a second patchimage that is different in color from the first patch image and thatpasses through the second region, so as to be located at the sameposition in the movement direction; and a control unit configured todetect a color misregistration amount based on a signal outputted fromthe first light receiving element when the first patch image passesthrough the first region and a signal outputted from the second lightreceiving element when the second patch image passes through the secondregion, and perform a color misregistration correction control based onthe detected color misregistration amount.
 16. The image formingapparatus according to claim 15, wherein a length of the first patchimage is longer in the direction orthogonal to the movement directionthan a length of the second patch image.
 17. The image forming apparatusaccording to claim 15, wherein the control unit detects the colormisregistration amount by detecting a position of the first patch imagebased on a signal outputted from the first light receiving element whenthe first patch image passes through the first region, and detecting aposition of the second patch image based on a signal outputted from thesecond light receiving element when the second patch image passesthrough the second region.
 18. The image forming apparatus according toclaim 15, wherein the image formation unit further forms, on the surfaceof the image carrier, a third patch image that passes through the firstregion, and a fourth patch image of a color that is the same as that ofthe third patch image and that passes through the second region, so asto be located at the same position in the movement direction, thecontrol unit further detects, as a positional misregistration amountbetween the first light receiving element and the second light receivingelement, a difference between a position of the third patch image and aposition of the fourth patch image, based on signals respectivelyoutputted from the first light receiving element and the second lightreceiving element when the third patch image and the fourth patch imagepass through the first region and the second region, respectively, andthe control unit performs the color misregistration correction controlbased on the detected color misregistration amount and the positionalmisregistration amount.
 19. The image forming apparatus according toclaim 15, wherein when forming the first patch image, the imageformation unit forms, as an under layer of the first patch image, a baseimage for which a reflectance is different from that of the first patchimage and whose size is larger than that of the first patch image, andfor the diffused reflection light, a difference of a reflectance betweenthe base image and the first patch image is greater than the differenceof the reflectance between the surface of the image carrier and thefirst patch image.
 20. The image forming apparatus according to claim15, further comprising a storage unit configured to store a correctionvalue for correcting an error that arises in a detected value of thecolor misregistration amount due to a change in a response speed inaccordance with received light amounts of the first light receivingelement and the second light receiving element, wherein the control unitcorrects the detected value of the color misregistration amount by thecorrection value stored in the storage unit.
 21. An image formingapparatus, comprising: an optical sensor; and an image formation unit,wherein the optical sensor comprises a light emitting element thatirradiates irradiating light toward an irradiated member, a first lightreceiving element for receiving diffused reflection light into which theirradiating light is diffusely reflected in an irradiation region of theirradiated member, and a second light receiving element for receivingspecular reflection light into which the irradiating light is specularlyreflected in the irradiation region of the irradiated member, whereinthe first light receiving element receives the diffused reflection lightdiffusely reflected in a first region within the irradiation region, andthe second light receiving element receives the specular reflectionlight specularly reflected in a second region within the irradiationregion, at least a part of which does not include the first region in amain scanning direction, and wherein the image formation unit forms, ona surface of the irradiated member, a first patch image that passesthrough the first region and a second patch image that passes throughthe second region.